1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a container-carrying device which carries a top-open box container by a robot hand.
2. Description of Related Art
Top-open box containers load a plurality of parts as cargo. Such a container is carried by a robot. In Japanese Patent No. 4615015, an openable/closable holding unit of a robot hand holds a container on both sides at upper ends thereof to carry the container.
However, in order for an openable/closable holding unit to hold a container, gaps for inserting a holding unit need to be formed on both sides of the container. For this reason, when a plurality of containers are arranged close to each other, such a container cannot be held by using an openable/closable holding unit without a sufficient gap. Thus, a container-carrying device of Japanese Patent No. 4615015 cannot be used for unloading such containers arranged close to each other.
Further, in the configuration of Japanese Patent No. 4615015, an opening of a container is substantially closed since the openable/closable holding unit is positioned above the opening of the container. It is therefore difficult to discharge cargo in the container through the opening even when the container is tilted by a robot hand provided with an openable/closable holding unit.
The present invention has been made in view of such circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a container-carrying device which, even when a plurality of containers are arranged close to each other, can hold and carry such a container.